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Tour Rundown: Mickelson’s 5th, Vic Open times 2, Taylor and Langer, too
This week in February is an important one. Seven days after a controversial tournament on the European Tour, that circuit and the LPGA meet in Australia, at the Vic Open. What’s different? Instead of dancing around societal issues, the Vic Open explodes them by offering equal pay to both genders. Professional golf can work to improve our world, it appears. The PGA Tour returned to the worst-timed event on the schedule, where rain and hail and worse arrive to frustrate golfers. Somehow, the tournament went off and concluded as planned. The Web.Com tour pegged balls in Panama, while the Champions tour found a home in south Florida. For a complete tour rundown, you’ve come to the proper place. Let’s have a look.
PGA Tour: AT&T goes to Mickelson for 5th time
Say what you will about horses for courses, but Phil Mickelson has quietly made the Monterey peninsula his playground. Mickelson unexpectedly claimed victory this week at Pebble Beach, despite entering the final round 3 shots in arrears. Paul Casey looked to all the world a champion, especially after his play over the first three days. The clue to his Sunday struggles was a 1st-round 69 at Pebble. He played the host course worst of all, finishing a mere 4-under over 2 days, after decimating Spyglass and MPCC with 64-67. Mickelson, in contrast, was 9 under at the site of the 2019 US Open, a 5-shot differential which created his winning margin of 3 shots. Lefty had to work overtime, given the rain delay of Sunday, but his final shots on the 18th hole were his strong suit, and a 44th career win on tour was his.
Dare we hope that Mickelson might finally win that US Open? Of course we dare, but we know the likelihood. Still …
Worth the wait. ????@PhilMickelson wins the @ATTProAm for a record-tying fifth time.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/9BDYirlvgn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 11, 2019
LPGA: Celine Boutier overcomes leaders to claim Vic Open title
Kim Kaufman was reminded how difficult it is to win a golf tournament. Solid after 36 holes (132), she went 153 over the next 36 to drop to a tie for 8th. France’s Celine Boutier played 4 consistent rounds between 69 and 72, and held off hometown hero Sarah Kemp’s Sunday 65 by 2 shots, for her first professional victory. After opening with a double, Kemp was magnificent over the remaining holes. She notched 9 birdies, including 5 consecutive on the front nine, to throw a scare into Boutier. The champion was not to be denied, and balanced birdies, bogeys and pars throughout, as she held off Kemp and Su Oh, also of Australia. Oh’s round-one ace propelled her toward a tie for second with Kemp at -6, 2 behind the victor.
Introducing our 2019 @ISPSHanda #VicOpen champion, @celineboutier ???????????????? #VicOpen pic.twitter.com/v1WG8FOoKb
— ISPS Handa Vic Open (@VicOpenGolf) February 10, 2019
European Tour: Vic Open trophy now owned by David Law
Wade Ormsby might feel that the Vic Open owes him one. On his way home on Sunday, he clattered a delightful approach off the flagstick, turning a short birdie putt into a cross-country effort. It’s certain that David Law took matters into his own hands. Faced with a deficit as he entered the closing stretch, Law turned dreams into reality with a birdie-par-eagle finish, making up a handful of strokes on the leader. He signed for -18, then observed both Ormsby and Brad Kennedy bogey the par-3 17th. Kennedy needed birdie at the last to tie, but made par. Ormsby needed eagle, but could only summon birdie. The pair tied for 2nd, one shot out of a playoff. For Law, the Vic was his first European Tour title, after 6 wins in developmental events.
He needed eagle and he made eagle!! ???? @DavidLawGolf takes out the 2019 @ISPSHanda Vic Open after overtaking the competition with this shot… #VicOpen pic.twitter.com/NnAmYRNTGh
— ISPS Handa Vic Open (@VicOpenGolf) February 10, 2019
Web.Com Tour: Panama Championship
It was an awfully big ask of Ben Taylor to take the lead on Friday afternoon, and hold it through Sunday. He made it to Saturday evening, but the birdies stopped coming of day foir. The Englishman placed 4th at 5-under par. China’s Carl Yuan achieved notoriety by playing all 4 rounds in the 60s this week, the only member of the field to sub 70 each day. It was good for solo 3rd into 10th on the money list. His countryman, Xinjung Zhang went low on day 4 with 66, and was nearly perfect. His single bogey, at the 15th, was the arrow that kept him from a playoff for the title. Zhang moved from 75th to 7th on The 25 list, one shot behind Michael Gligic of Canada. Gligic, the 2018 PGA Tour Canada list leader, tossed one more birdie than Zhang on Sunday, and his 3 at the 16th proved to be the deciding blow. Gligic won his first Web title at -8, and all the way to 2nd on the money list, $20K shy of leader Mark Anderson.
Always practice your 3-footers.
Canada’s Michael Gligic (@MGligicGolf) made par from the fairway bunker on the 72nd hole @ClubGolfPanama, en route to a one-shot victory. pic.twitter.com/JIg62hydvv
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) February 10, 2019
PGA Tour Champions: Oasis Championship
Heard a new joke today: this German guy walks up to the tee … and wins the tournament. No punch line. For the 13th consecutive calendar year, the 2-time Masters champion won on the over-50 circuit. He didn’t sneak in, either. Langer signed for 65 day three, after opening with 64-68, for a 5-shot margin of victory over Marco Dawson. Each round of the week was unique for the Teutonic tormentor. On day one, Langer posted 8 birdies and 10 pars. Day two surrendered just one birdie, but two eagles countered his only bogey of the week. On day the third, Bernhard the unbeatable had 7 birdies against 11 pars, to reach his 19-under total.
Bernhard Langer is putting on a clinic. ????
He's -6 on the day and leads by 5 @OasisChamp. pic.twitter.com/cAGzY1q79G
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) February 10, 2019
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Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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